1. Describe the objective: Before you can examine the data, you must understand the problem. a. Discuss the importance of this issue or situation. b. Introduce the company or organization you are preparing this report for, and explain why it is important to them. c. What is the research question? In other words, what is the basic question you, as the researcher, want to address? Why should we care about it? d. Was this an experimental or observational study? Explain. 2. Clearly and with sufficient detail, describe the population, sample, and collection methods in this study. a. What is the population you are interested in? b. What is the sample, specifically? c. What is a plausible way the sample was chosen and why? d. What problems or biases might have occurred from choosing that type of sampling method? 3. Discuss the type of data. a. Was the data quantitative or qualitative? Explain. b. What is the level of measurement (nominal, ordinal, interval and ratio)? Explain. 4. Describe the variables a. What are the independent and dependent variables? Give the type, units, and more specific information. b. Give examples of any confounding variables, lurking variables, and/or missing variables and explain how they may be affecting your study.
